. >>> lawmakers in venezuela met to elect a potential replacement in case hugo chavez is not able to run that country. chavez still in the hospital after a fourth surgery for cancer. if chavez cannot continue to rule the country, whoever is elected today will be in charge until a new election is organized. >>> back to politics now. in december it looked like the fiscal cliff battle would be fought between president obama and house speaker john boehner, but as it turned out the white house had a better chance to make a deal with the senate minority leader mitch mcconnell from kentucky. james carroll is a washington reporter for "the louisville courier journal." happy new year, sir. >> happy new year to you. >> the president couldn't make the fiscal cliff deal ask could be the new way the way things are done in d.c. that realization they lead to a more formalized process to begin bipartisan negotiations in the senate to put pressure on the house. given this new dawn of bipartisanship that has spanned a week or so now, has senator mcconnell's role as a power broker, has it been enhanced